Ch.71Transcendents (2)

# Transcenders (2)

A place where everyone had withdrawn.

Sitting alone on the throne with her chin resting on her hand, Belphegor thought.

‘Everything is such a bother.’

Twelve’s tears, Ten’s insubordination. And the other legion commanders who were just watching cautiously.

It was all so trivial.

To think they would struggle so much against mere hero parties. And seeing them tear each other apart using that as an excuse—how trivial and bothersome it all was.

‘Come to think of it, why did I want to become the Demon Lord?’

What did I want to do standing at the pinnacle of all demons? Was it just to be praised?

Or did I want to change something?

I can’t even remember anymore.

What charm did the previous Demon Lord Leviathan see in this position that I usurped from her?

Now everything is just a bother.

Since becoming the Demon Lord, I’ve been managing the demon army out of responsibility, but is that really necessary?

‘Liberation of demonkind, my ass.’

Most of them only care about their own interests. Those who genuinely want to invade the human realm don’t even make up a quarter.

Well, that’s how grand causes usually are.

When first proclaimed, they might unite everyone’s hearts, but as time passes and generations change, they become nothing but empty shells.

Their meaning fades away.

The same was true for demonkind.

They were just another type of humans who evolved to survive in the barren demon realm after being pushed out by humans. Their cause to take revenge on humans and reclaim their territory might have been noble.

But over time, the two races became completely different species.

Even the once-barren demon realm has now become habitable enough.

Not because the land improved, but because those living there adapted.

Demons are beings who achieved remarkable evolution. What’s poison to humans is a delicacy to demons.

Yes, they can live without any problems.

Yet, how many would sincerely support the cause proclaimed in the beginning?

They’re all well-fed now.

“Perhaps I should just…”

Wouldn’t it be better to give it all up?

Get rid of all those who strut around calling themselves the Demon Lord’s army.

If she could make all these bothersome things disappear, she wouldn’t have to feel this tedium and irritation.

Belphegor’s gaze grew increasingly cold, to the point where it seemed transparent.

It looked both empty and filled with insight that could see through everything.

Knock. Knock.

It was just as Belphegor was heading toward an extreme conclusion.

In the audience chamber where she was alone.

A knocking sound came from the space where she might or might not have been.

“Enter.”

Belphegor permitted the audience with a languid voice.

Shortly after, the door opened and a woman with a haughty expression entered.

It was Lilith.

“Your Majesty, seeing that you seemed in a bad mood, I prepared a tribute.”

“Tribute…?”

Belphegor tilted her head at this unprecedented event.

While Lilith had always been competent, she wasn’t the type of demon to offer such blatant bribes.

Did she want something?

No, if that were the case, she would have called her “Aunt” instead of “Your Majesty.” It would have been much better to ask privately.

Then, what she was offering now was likely a genuine tribute.

“It’s a dessert from the human realm. It doesn’t seem much different from ours, but it’s a bit sweeter, I believe.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Belphegor, still looking bored, reached out for what Lilith had given her.

“It’s cold.”

“Ah, yes, the weather has been hot lately, and you seemed to lack energy, so…”

“Is that so…?”

Belphegor felt a lump in her throat. She had been thinking that nothing mattered, but seeing Lilith’s devotion made her heart waver like a reed.

Maybe she could try a little harder? Thinking that this could be a place for her capable niece to spread her wings, she thought it might be good to keep it around a bit longer.

“Enjoy it.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Then I’ll take my leave.”

“No, let’s eat together.”

“Pardon…? Ah, no. I apologize. I have things to do, so I’ll leave first. Your Majesty.”

“Is that so? Then I can’t help it.”

Watching Lilith sweating profusely, Belphegor thought.

‘Did she do something wrong?’

Was there something to clean up behind this obvious flattery, rather than a favor?

‘Well, it doesn’t matter. She’ll handle it well enough.’

As always, Belphegor let it slide out of laziness.

Her eyes, which had seen Lilith off, had already returned to their usual look.

***

When everyone in the hero party had fallen asleep, and Lug, who had finished cleaning up after Tina’s meal, was heading to his room.

“You’re late. It’s good that you get along with our daughter, but I wonder if it’s right to neglect me like this.”

“So you’re definitely… La•Pa?”

“No, this is truly disappointing…”

La•Pa sighed as she realized Lug’s gaze was sincere.

This crazy bastard. He had completely sealed away not only her existence but also the fact that they had met, pushing it all to the far reaches of his memory.

She felt hurt thinking that he was pretending not to know her at a level beyond mere pretense.

After all, how long had she and Lug known each other?

“I see, I’m a man who can read between the lines too. I understand clearly.”

“What…?”

“So you came to seduce me? Haha, this is troublesome. I could spend a night with you, but I’m not the type of man who gets tied down anywhere.”

“This is refreshingly crazy. The freshness is even fresher than a fish just caught. Though the eyes look like they’ve been dried in the sun for about three days after being caught…”

A man resembling a fish in many ways.

That was Lug.

“Was that not it?”

“No. Wait a minute…”

La•Pa realized that the current situation wasn’t as bad as she thought.

Lug’s power responds to karma.

Those who have accumulated overwhelming karma, or those who have devoured others’ karma.

It responds to the power of such beings and devours it to grow.

A means for a being who has lost rank to regain it.

‘That means as long as I don’t stimulate him, it’s fine.’

What an unstable life form.

A method that could lead to accidental death if mishandled.

It might be the best for hiding oneself, but it’s also an extremely radical method.

In other words, the current Lug knows nothing as long as she’s careful.

“Yes, that’s right. Actually, it is.”

Isn’t it interesting?

In the past, when she tried to seduce him, the ascetic of Capilla didn’t even blink, but now he’s fallen into lust and is even expecting it.

“I thought you were quite a decent man from the moment I first saw you.”

“Of course.”

“…”

Groundless confidence.

It’s impossible to know what basis he has for such overflowing confidence.

‘No, was he always like this?’

That bottomless confidence was the same when she first met the ascetic of Capilla.

In a sense, his interest in women was also the same.

The only difference was that he had drawn a clear line…

‘Well, he was always strangely good at attracting women…’

Then why?

Why does she feel that his impression has changed so much when his basic tendencies haven’t changed much?

Is it his eyes? Those murky, pollack-like eyes?

‘Whatever it is…’

Now is the chance.

While Lug knows nothing, if she pounces on him and creates a fait accompli, it would be fun later.

La•Pa is a hedonist.

That’s why she feels ecstasy in hindering and corrupting those who try to transcend the five desires, seven emotions, and three poisons.

“What do you think? Wouldn’t it be fine to spend a night with me?”

La•Pa knows her charm.

She appears ordinary at first glance, but when examined closely, she’s beautiful.

That’s just a measure she takes to hide her identity. When she doesn’t need to take such measures, she can fully exert her charm.

She is the embodiment of the three poisons and the five desires and seven emotions.

The one who prevents enlightenment (Bulryeonghaetal).

“I’ll show you heaven.”

Words from a king who actually resides in heaven.

La•Pa slowly unbuttoned her shirt one by one.

An action meant to be seen, conscious of the other’s gaze. Thus, her Millia-grade chest, which had been hidden, began to peek out from the tight shirt.

Aiming for the moment when Lug’s gaze couldn’t leave that spot, she pushed him completely onto the bed.

La•Pa, who had already climbed on top of Lug, licked her lips, having unbuttoned her shirt completely in the meantime.

“Huhu.”

Lug didn’t resist.

He just accepted it with a dreamy expression, as if in a dream.

La•Pa’s enchantment.

Well, it wasn’t necessary for the current Lug, but La•Pa was determined to thoroughly toy with him.

How resentful would he be if she left only the result without the process for someone who desired it so much?

Of course, that’s what she thought, but…

‘I didn’t expect him to fall for it without any resistance…’

Just as La•Pa was about to collapse onto Lug with a seductive smile, feeling that things were going too smoothly.

“There’s a dirty lizard here.”

KWANG!

A pure white flash engulfed the bed where Lug and La•Pa were lying.

A pure white wave as if to erase them from this world.

“KIEEEEEK!”

Saintess Eirene’s holy magic.

The fact that she didn’t hesitate to blast away even Lug made it clear what state of mind the perpetrator of such terrorism was in.

“Oh my, you’re… the saintess of the hero party, right? Your expression is quite cute, child.”

La•Pa walked out of the pure white flash as if it were natural.

Until just a moment ago, she had been about to cross the line with Lug, but now she was composed as if nothing had happened, with her clothes neatly arranged.

However, she seemed more curious about the fact that Eirene was here than the fact that she had been attacked.

“I was sure everyone was asleep. How did you know?”

“Such mental attacks might work on others, but not on me.”

Brainwashing Lv. 32

Instigation Lv. 31

Torture Lv. 40

Intimidation Lv. 47

An expert in mental attacks.

That’s Saintess Eirene.

“Should I say I underestimated you all too much?”

“Well, maybe it’s because what lizards do is always the same?”

Eirene and La•Pa looked at each other and smiled coldly.